Johann Pieterse, Business Manager for Manufacturing Industries at Afrox, says that the company’s product service offers have shifted to focus on providing individual customers with bespoke solutions for their operations. He explains that the 360o Integrated Customer Application Solutions programme aims to provide innovative, comprehensive gas and welding process solutions to customers in the mining, energy, fabrication and other industries, starting from identifying customers’ challenges, to developing a joint solution that will maximise value for the customer and their end user.

“Afrox is extending this 360-degree capability to customers across South Africa, identifying opportunities to assist customers by implementing complete solutions, and providing full back-up and support,” says Pieterse.

Beside customer solutions, Afrox will also be showcasing some of its trusted mining industry mainstays including gas equipment; welding consumables; and power sources for MIG, MMA, TIG and multiprocess welding. Visitors to the stand can also enquire about rental packages available on premium Miller welding equipment, affording customers a flexible and cost-effective alternative to purchasing new machines.

Also on display will be Afrox’s iconic AfroxPac 35i self-contained self-rescuers. Afrox’s body-worn emergency breathing device was developed in close association with the African mining industry and is 100% locally manufactured and supported, having been tested under some of the toughest mining conditions in the world. AfroxPacs are collectively carried by underground miners in Africa for more than 1.5 million hours each day, and currently comprise more than 70% of the South African self-rescuer market.

Another highlight on the Afrox stand will be the Genie® Helium N6.0, the only certified Helium N6.0 product on the South African market, delivered in a revolutionary new packaging. The total amount of impurities in Helium N6.0 is below 1 part per million, making it as close as possible to pure helium and the ideal carrier gas to achieve accurate analytical and laboratory results. The ‘genie’ in the bottle is the built-in digital intelligence unit display, which indicates levels of usage and remaining gas, and has a low contents alarm which sounds when gas levels are dwindling.

Visitors to the stand can also learn about the new digital-driven cylinder tracking service on all Afrox industrial and special gas cylinders that will deliver improved reliability, accurate customer cylinder records, and the ability to track and recall cylinders.

“As the largest industrial gases and related technologies company in sub-Saharan Africa, and backed by The Linde Group, Afrox is consistently innovating to offer our customers solutions to enhance their productivity,” says Pieterse.